Bad Habits
by That GF FAN
Summary: Fearing for his health & life, Mabel tries to help Stan quit his 30 years smoking habit. At the same time, Mabel must deal with a promise she made to Dipper to overcome her own bad habit. Set in the Adoption AU, by Marehami & Keleficent. Set after Part of Me, but before Only Hope. A huge thank you to Marehami herself for being my beta reader. Cover art by cartoonkatelyn on Tumblr.
1. Chapter 1: A Little Help

_**Disclaimer: This story is set in the Adoption AU, which was created by Marehami and Keleficent. It's part of a collaborative effort between me and marehami. If you have not read that AU, you may get a bit lost while reading this story. I highly recommend reading the other Adoption AU stories first (which can be found on their respective pages) before reading this. I also want to once again extend a huge thank you to Adoption AU creator Marehami for beta reading this story. I could not have published it without her. With that said, I hope you enjoy this little Mabel and Stan bonding tale we both have created :)**_

* * *

It was a late winter's night in the small town of Gravity Falls. Not much really went on at such hours of the night. Down a quiet driveway, the Mystery Shack stood in the dark…its occupants all deep in sleep. Inside, not a single sound could be heard. That is, except for the sound of creaking floor boards.

Mabel Pines walked down the stairs. It was a second nature for her as she walked into the kitchen and poured herself a late-night glass of water. It was a fairly routine drill, a glass of water, and then back to bed. Her fears of walking through the shack alone at night were now a distant memory. Though every now and then, the memory of that dreadful night Brad's friends burned her beloved home down was very much etched in the back of her mind every time.

But the nighttime ambience of the quiet country town was always was something she loved deep down. For someone so outgoing and full of life, she did appreciate the peace and quiet. On a night like this, all that could be heard was the sounds of the wind, the occasional creaking floorboards within their dwelling, and if quiet enough, Ford's snoring from down below. The window was partially open, so Mabel could hear the sounds clearly from outside. The smells too. There wasn't much to smell, but it was a nighttime like scent, and she loved it.

Suddenly, her nose was filled with a smell she wasn't prepared for. It was a smell that made her cover her nose, and even cough. It was not a pleasant aroma…it was smoke.

The repressed memories flooded back at a speed she couldn't fathom. Those memories of smelling smoke, and seeing those boys setting her beloved home on fire was something she had tried so hard to bury. Now they were racing back to her.

Mabel was on the brink of a panic attack, when she got a whiff of the smell again. It wasn't the smell of smoke that indicated an impending disaster. It was a smoke that she very well knew the source of.

She put on her coat, walked to the door, and took a peak outside. Sure enough, her suspicions were confirmed.

"Grunkle Stan?" she said.

Stan looked over, and immediately dropped it, trying to hide the evidence, despite being caught red handed.

"M…Mabel?" he said, "What are you doing up so late?"

"I was getting a drink of water. Might I ask you the same?"

"Well…I…you know, I thought I…thought I heard something?" he said, trying to dodge the question.

But Mabel wasn't buying it. She had already seen enough to piece the puzzle together. Besides Stan was a master liar, but somehow, he could never bring himself to lie to those kids…_his_ kids.

"Fine, you caught me." He had thought that the winter weather would allow him to get away with it given the kids were asleep, but he had been wrong.

Mabel shook her head, "Grunkle Stan, I thought you said you were gonna give it up for your New Years Resolution?"

Stan sighed, "I tried. I really did. I wanted to do it for you, and for Dipper. But it's not easy. You can't just let go of a habit that you've had for decades in the blink of an eye, Mabel."

Mabel walked up to Stan and looked at him dead in the eye, "Grunkle Stan, listen. You have to try harder. It's a horrible habit that you know far too well you gotta give up. I know you can do it."

"I don't know Mabel. I mean, I don't like it either. I know what it's doing to me, and these suckers are not cheap either. But it's not like it's a straight road to overcoming."

"Then let me help you!"

Stan looked at Mabel with a confused expression.

"Look Grunkle Stan, why don't I try to help you? You just need someone to believe you can overcome it! Remember your fear of heights? We overcame that together!"

"I don't know Mabel," said Stan, "I mean, what if-"

"Look Grunkle Stan…dad," said Mabel in a serious tone. She knew that there were few things in Stan's life he took more serious than being a dad. His shameful expression proved that her theory was right.

"I know it won't be easy, and I know it will be tough for both of us…but I... I…I don't want to lose you too. I couldn't bear to lose another person I love, especially knowing I could have stopped it in time."

Stan could sense the tears approaching. He knew far too well what Mabel meant in that statement. It had been almost two years since the tragedy that took the twin's parents occurred, but the wounds were still very much there.

"But sweetie," he said, "I don't want you to deal with the burden of helping me solve a problem that's my own."

"No, Grunkle Stan," said Mabel as she rushed in to hug him, "We're in this together. You were there for me when I needed you. And now you need me. I'd rather help you, than watch you struggle alone."

Stan felt a feeling of remorse and humility hit him. For his whole life he had been shunned by anyone he met. He'd met people who he had thought were family, only to be betrayed by them. To see someone, especially his own adoptive daughter care so much made him tear up. He picked Mabel up and hugged her.

"So, if I help you, will you please try to quit smoking?" she asked again.

Stan wiped the tears away, "I will pumpkin, I will."

The two said nothing as they hugged for a while longer after that. While both Mabel and Stan were optimistic of what they had agreed on doing for each other, they also knew how enormous of a challenge lay ahead of them.


	2. Chapter 2: Both Ways

"So, let me get this straight," said Dipper, "You actually agreed to help Stan quit smoking? Also, have you seen my extra pair of socks?"

"Well, yeah," said Mabel, "Obviously. And they're in your closet."

Mabel had spent the morning helping Dipper pack for his week long trip with Ford to the Oregon Science Convention. It was the first trip he and Ford were going on together since Brad came into their lives. Though they had been skeptical on going this year, given they didn't want her to feel like she was in the same situation she had been in that fateful night again, Mabel had insisted they both go this year. While helping him pack, she let Dipper know of her plan to help Stan.

"So, what do you think?" she asked.

"Well, it's ambitious. I mean, it won't be easy you know, Mabel. He has been smoking since before even mom and dad were born! Old habits die really hard…especially when you are as old as Stan!"

"Trust me, if anyone can get Stan to overcome his bad habit, it's Mabel," Mabel said confidently.

Dipper laughed, "I think you gotta first get your own bad habit under control before trying to help Grunkle Stan."

Mabel looked puzzled, "What bad habit?"

"Uh, hello, you eat sugar on a daily basis! You consume sugar like most people consume water! It's like you need it to survive,"

"Oh, come on, Dipper," said Mabel, "So maybe I eat a bit more sugar than the next guy. But so, what?"

"A bit more? Mabel, you skipped dinner two nights in a row because you had a tub of cotton candy for lunch."

"Well…"

"And yesterday you ditched breakfast to go with Candy and Grenda to that bakery."

"Well in my defense, it was good."

"Yeah," said Dipper, "It was so good, you ate the stuff you were bringing back for us on the way home."

Mabel began to sense something was up with what Dipper was saying. She had been doing stuff like that for a long while, even before Stan and Ford had adopted them. What was different now to Dipper then after all those times.

"And need I remind you what you ate for breakfast today?"

"Two pancakes with some maple syrup?"

"Half the bottle, Mabel!" yelled Dipper, "Half, the, bottle!"

"And let's not even touch the nightly Unicorn hot chocolate this week…"

"Okay fine, I get it," she said, "I may have a sugar addiction. But what does that have to do with helping Grunkle Stan quit smoking?"

"Look Mabel, you and Grunkle Stan both have a bad habit. His is smoking, and yours is the fact you can't eat anything unless it has a worryingly large amount of sugar in it. And it worries me. I mean, it's not healthy. Not just what Stan's doing, but what you're doing too."

"So, are you telling me…I gotta stop eating sugar?"

"Well, not entirely," said Dipper, "It is sort of what makes you who you are. But try to dial it down. I mean, if you're gonna help Grunkle Stan overcome his bad habit so he can be healthier, you should try to do the same."

Mabel looked skeptical.

"Look, if you're trying to fix a bad habit alongside Grunkle Stan, it will help you better understand why maybe he hasn't been able to quit his. Plus, you both could work together to try and work out a good way to tackle it."

"So, if I'm trying to overcome my sugar habit, and Stan's trying to overcome his smoking habit, we'll both be able to understand and help each other better?" asked Mabel.

"Pretty much," said Dipper, "Grunkle Ford told me about. Some psychological mumbo jumbo…"

"I don't know, Dipper," said Mabel, "I mean, I want to help Grunkle Stan quit smoking, not make this about me. And besides, why not wait until after I help him to deal with that."

Dipper sighed, "Look Mabel, I know you want to help Grunkle Stan, and I really want to see you succeed. But this is also a really good opportunity for you to overcome your sugar addiction too."

"Why are you suddenly so obsessed with that?" asked Mabel.

"Well…"

"No Dipper, why are you? Why are you suddenly so obsessed with how much sugar I eat when I've been doing it since before we even came here?"

"Because," sighed Dipper,

"Because what?" said Mabel.

"Because…it's gotten worse, that's why!

Mabel looked at him confused.

Dipper looked her directly in the eyes and lifted his shirt to show the scar from his kidney operation.

"Since this,"

Mabel looked confused, "what does your surgery scar have to do with this? I've got a matching one you know?" she teased as she lifted her own shirt.

"Exactly! Mabel…you were doing so well eating healthy before the donation, but now that it's over…you're even worse than you were before, and well…your body is weaker now and-"

"I KNOW MY BODY IS WEAKER DIPPER! I WAS THERE, REMEMBER?" Mabel shouted as her voice cracked and tears pricked her eyes.

Dipper felt awful seeing her getting upset and tried comforting her, but she pulled away from him.

"What else can I do besides enjoy sweets…I can't do strenuous sports like cheerleading ever again, remember?"

Dipper flinched, "of course I remember, Mabel! I just…" Dipper couldn't finish as tears overcame him.

Mabel could see Dipper was starting to get emotional. It eroded her anger quickly She pulled him in for a hug. It reminded her a lot of last night, when she did the same with Stan.

"I'm worried about you, Mabel. What you've been doing is not the normal sugar crazy Mabel I used to know. You're losing control. I didn't mention anything because I thought you knew. And now with this whole trip, you telling me how much you want to help Stan quit his bad habit for his health's sake, and all that stuff on the news lately about sugar and how many health issues it's causing, I'm…I'm scared. You saved my life…and I can't even imagine you losing yours."

"Wow," she said, "Is it really that bad?"

"It is," he replied, "Look Mabel, you wanting to help Grunkle Stan quit smoking is amazing, and I'm not wanting to slow you down in any way. But please, for me, can you try to deal with your own bad habit too? I…I just don't want anything to happen to you again. I know you can do it. You just need the right motivation. And if doing it alongside Grunkle Stan can help you both, then I want you to at least give it a try."

Mabel smiled, "Okay, Dipper, I promise I'll try for you."

"No Mabel," said Dipper, "Promise me you'll give it all you've got. And not for me. But for your own sake."

"I will Dipper, I will."

Though she had agreed, Mabel felt that this may be one promise that even she wouldn't be able to keep. But after hearing her brother's concerns, she wanted to take a shot at fixing it no matter what.


	3. Chapter 3: Assessing the Damage

Mabel and Stan both sat in the waiting room looking nervous. For Mabel, it was a place that brought back many unpleasant memories. The last time she was here was before she set off on her risky operation that would ultimately save Dipper's life. Before that, it was on her thirteenth birthday…that dreadful day when her life changed forever.

Now back as a patient yet again, she was all the more nervous, but also optimistic.

Stan meanwhile was even more mixed with emotions. He hadn't been to a doctor for as long as he could remember. But he had been in this waiting room more times than he wished to admit. The memories of being there as he waited for the doctors to share word about Mabel's condition after the fire were still fresh in his mind, and even more recently was when he was waiting to find out if he was still the father of two beautiful children.

As far as what lay ahead, he wasn't too concerned. Stan was always one to ride out pains and illnesses on his own. He was not so much worried about what the doctor would have to say, he already knew. He was more so worried about how his examination would impact his loved ones. He had been smoking for a long time, and it was going to catch up eventually, but up until recently he had only been living for himself…but things were different now. Now he had a family. He had other people to live for now.

"You nervous?" he asked Mabel.

"A little?" she replied, "What about you?"

"I guess. But what can you do about it?"

"Ah," said Mabel as she clenched her side for a second…the same side where her kidney used to be.

"You okay, pumpkin?" asked Stan.

"Yeah," replied Mabel, "I guess." She acted strong around Stan, but deep down, she did feel nervous. She had been feeling minor and brief pains in that area for a while now, but had always just assumed it had something to do with her operation, and it would go away soon enough.

The two of them sat there for a while, before a lady in a white coat appeared.

"Is there a, Mabel Pines here?" she said.

"Well, guess it's my turn?" said Mabel.

"Be strong, kid," said Stan. He wasn't the best at giving comforting speeches, but that was enough to let Mabel walk in with a big smile on her face. A rare sight now too. Ever since their parents died, Stan swore Mabel's smile had been damaged in a way, that really only he could see.

It was a while before Mabel came back, at which point, it was his own turn. Stan walked into the room and was subjected to a series of routine checkups. Some went a bit more beyond the types he was accustomed to knowing about.

"I don't get why we have to do these check ups," he said to Mabel after he came back.

"Well, we can't tackle our bad habits until we know how bad they really are," replied Mabel.

"I'm just glad I elected to keep you kids' health insurance that your parents had. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to afford to come!"

"You could afford it…business has boomed since the "kind and charismatic Mr. Mystery adopted his poor niece and nephew!"

Stan chuckled, "Alright, so I could've afforded it…I just wouldn't have paid it!" he teased as he tickled his niece.

Mabel laughed at his jest.

* * *

A while went by before Mabel and Stan were invited into the doctors' office to learn of the results of their checkup.

"Alright," said the doctor, "I'll start with you Mabel, as you went first."

Mabel felt a chill run down her spine as she prepared to hear what the doctor had to say.

"After running our tests, we found that your blood sugar level is high…very high. It's at levels that someone of your age should not have. We also noticed that your blood pressure is also at a slightly higher level than normal, and your heart beat is considerably faster than normal when relaxed. I understand that you had an operation recently, but may I also ask, do you happen to eat a lot of sugary snacks? Stuff like cookies, sweets and high sugar juices?"

Mabel nodded her head, "I stopped for a while before the surgery…but I've picked up on it again."

"I see, well part of it could be your diet of extremes. You went from an unhealthy diet before your operation, to an extremely healthy one, and now you are back to an extremely unhealthy diet. Despite what most people believe, diets need to be diverse. Cutting out food groups completely isn't a good idea, it's better to have a balance."

Mabel nodded, admittedly relieved that the doctor was confirming she didn't have to quit sugar cold turkey.

"Alright, now as for you Mr. Pines, I understand that you stated before hand that you are a smoker?"

"Uh…yes," said Stan hesitantly.

"May I ask how much do you smoke per day?"

"Oh, I don't know. Depends I guess."

The doctor wrote it down in Stan's file and then looked up to him.

"Well, in terms of your checkup, you have an increased heartbeat, lower lung capacity, and signs of growing respiratory issues. These are all common attributes found in smokers I've checked up on over the years."

"Okay?" said Stan, "So, like…is there some medicine you're going to prescribe or-"

"Mr. Pines, have you attempted to quit smoking?" asked the doctor.

"Well, in the past, I guess. But I mean, it's not like I've succeeded by the looks of things."

"Well, I hope you do attempt this time, because your results are deeply troubling for me. I don't mean to alarm you, but I very highly suggest you quit smoking…now!"

"What about Mabel, doc?" asked Stan.

The doctor took off her glasses, "I highly suggest based on what your results show, that both of you take immediate action and lifestyle changes. Mr. Pines, your smoking habit is putting you at extremely high risks for developing many types of cancers and illnesses. And Mabel, your current health, if it is as you say attributed to sugar consumption, I highly recommend you take immediate action to limit your sugar intake. You're putting your self at risk for diabetes and many kinds of heart diseases. Not to mention the fact that you have…compromised immunity,"

Stan rubbed Mabel's back as he noticed her begin to shake.

The doctor softened, "Now, the good news is that you've both taken the first step to recovery. It's about making small choices in your daily lives now, that will make the bigger difference down the road."

Stan and Mabel glanced at each other, it was the small changes that were gonna cause a big hurt.

* * *

As Mabel and Stan walked out of the hospital, the stern warning of the doctor played in their heads like a record on loop. In both of their hands were a list of guidelines on how to help with overcoming their respective bad habits.

"Well, that was some wakeup call," said Stan.

Mabel looked distressed as Stan looked over to her.

"You okay, pumpkin?"

"I'm scared, Grunkle Stan," she said, "Are we too late?"

"No, we're not," he said reassuringly, "The doc said we gotta make some major lifestyle changes, and we'll be okay after that. We're not too late."

"But can we really do it?"

"Now come on, where's that Mabel of mine who was saying I could quit smoking if I got some help? We're in this together, remember?"

Mabel began to perk up, "I…I guess? You really think we can do it?"

"I'm sure of it. If something like that huge kidney operation or Brad couldn't knock us down, then a small thing like this is nothing!"

"Yeah," said Mabel, "We can do this!"

The two of them got into the car, optimistic about the challenge that lay ahead.

Once home, Mabel and Stan began the first step of their road to overcoming; getting rid of the problem.

Mabel helped Stan throw out all the remaining cigarettes he had, and then the two then threw out most of the sugar filled treats that filled the cupboards and fridge in their kitchen.

For Mabel, it was a difficult thing to do, given she was not one who liked wasting food, but she knew that it if she and Stan were both going to overcome their bad habits and grow healthier, sacrifices had to be made.

A new chapter in their lives was about to begin.


	4. Chapter 4: Craving's Call

Stan sat in his office, writing out a report. As he sat there writing away, the cravings hit. He felt as if each time, the headaches were getting worse. Then came the anxiousness. He felt as if he was losing a grip on things. He found himself checking the clock over and over again.

Stan got up and started for the door. As he began to open it, it didn't.

"Ah, come on," he said, pulling at the knob, "Open you useless thing!"

The irritability stage had kicked in. As he calmed down, Stan remembered once again that the door needed to be pushed open, not pulled. He opened it and walked out.

"Hey, Mr. Pines," called Wendy.

Stan quickly looked over to the register, "Oh…hey, Wendy," he said.

"Are you okay?" the teen asked, "You look terrible…like worse than usual!" she kidded.

"Oh, I'm fine," replied Stan, "You know, quitting smoking is not the easiest thing to do."

"Yeah…I can see."

"Do yourself a favor kid, just don't light one up even for fun."

Stan was not one to give out life advice, and he was certain Wendy was smart enough to know never to pick up a habit as bad as smoking, but he still found comfort in warning her of its dangers.

"Ah, don't worry about me, Mr. Pines," she replied, "Smoking isn't even considered cool anymore…now it's all about vaping!"

"Well, don't do that either!" Stan demanded more harshly than intended, as clear by Wendy's expression,

Stan took a deep breath, "I-I think imma go for a walk…keep an eye on the shack, okay?"

Wendy laughed a bit at her boss's clear discomfort as she nodded her head.

Stan hoped that a stroll through town would help him with his cravings. But as he walked outside, he was met with an all too familiar, and unpleasant smell.

Over by the parking lot, he could see several older tourists smoking. It wasn't an abnormal sight, since there weren't any signs prohibiting smoking on his property. But as he was trying to quit, the sight and smell only fuelled his craving and withdrawal symptoms.

He was just about to cave when his eyes caught something, it was Mabel. She was sitting in the kitchen of the shack. She looked just as miserable as him as she half-heartedly nibbled on some celery.

She was still trying, and that was enough of a push to convince him to keep trying.

"Hey!" he yelled, "No smoking on Mystery Shack property!"

The tourists looked on at Stan. As the results of his outburst began to be processed, Stan held himself back. Instead, he proceeded with his planned stroll through town to take his mind off smoking.

"Come on, Stanley," he said to himself, "You gotta do this. You gotta kick this smoking habit of yours in the butt. Mabel's counting on you."

But even a walk-through Gravity Falls was not much help to him. Faced with quitting, to Stan, it felt like there were more smokers in Gravity Falls than normal. Every time he saw anyone partaking in the habit, he couldn't help but feel cravings hitting him.

* * *

That evening, Stan gave the nicotine gums the doctor recommended a try. After chewing it, he felt a lot better. But deep down, he still felt as if those cravings were still there. The road to recovery was not going to be an easy one.

At that moment, Mabel sat by his side silently as she gave him a small smile and took out her own sugar-free bubble gum (since finally getting her braces out, gum was a favorite treat or hers, of course, her favorite brands were typically filled with sugar).

But the two of them knew the road to recovery was paved with baby-steps…baby-steps the two were determined to take together.


	5. Chapter 5: A Sweet Problem

It was day two. Mabel sat at the table, looking at the plate of steamed broccoli sitting in front of her. Just the very smell of it was making her gag. She had managed to swallow down the celery yesterday, given it had such a bland taste. It didn't even make her feel sick. But the broccoli had such a pungent aroma, that she could not stand being even near it, let alone eat it. However, she knew well enough that she had to at least try some in order to overcome her sugar problem.

"Okay, Mabel," she said to herself, "You can do this."

Mabel lifted the fork and picked up a piece of the broccoli. Her hand shook as she pulled the vegetable closer to her mouth. She began to chew it, and instantly, felt like throwing up.

But then she thought about Stan…how hard he had been trying to quit his own bad habit, and then she thought of Dipper, and how worried he was about her. What was funny was she had given up sweets before, and it was nowhere near this challenging. She could only contribute it to the fact that she knew Dipper's life was on the line…that made everything less about her and more about him, but she knew that this was about her…about her living a healthier life so she and Dipper could grow old together.

She forced herself to swallow as she noticed Stan pacing around the shack chewing his nicotine gum. It was for the greater good.

After she finished her veggies, Mabel started for the gift shop. Perhaps working for a while with Wendy and Soos could help get her mind off her new sugar free diet. As she reached for the door, she felt that pain in her side again. It was neither worse or less than last time. It worried her, but again, given it was in the same place where her kidney used to be, she just attributed it to being a lingering surgery pain that would soon enough go away.

* * *

"And then I said to Thompson, there's no way you could fit your head into that vent. And then he does, and gets stuck!" said Wendy.

She, Mabel and Soos started laughing. Spending a while in the gift shop had helped Mabel take her mind off the whole overcoming her bad habit thing. She'd almost even forgotten about it.

"Excuse me?" came a voice from the other side of the counter. Wendy looked over and saw two little boys standing there.

"Oh, what can I do for you dudes?" she said.

One of the boys then put two candy bars on to the counter. The sight of the sugary treats made Mabel twitch a little. She was beginning to feel the affects of apparent sugar withdrawal as she watched Wendy ring the two kids up, and as they walked away, eating the candy.

"Hey, you good Mabel?" asked Soos. He could see that Mabel was clearly acting nervous about something.

"Oh…yeah. Yeah, I'm fine!" she said, "Never felt better!"

At that moment, Mabel looked outside to see a group of tourists getting some hot chocolate from a truck. In winter, many ice cream truck operators would sell hot chocolate to make money. Normally Mabel would be one of the first out to get her hands on the sweet beverage, but not this time

As Wendy began to follow Soos outside, she noticed Mabel wasn't coming. Instead, she was just sitting by the window, looking at the kids (and Soos) line up in front of the truck.

"Hey, you coming, Mabel?"

"Oh…I don't feel like getting hot chocolate today," she said, "I…I think I'll go restock the vending machine."

"Wait…Mabel!" yelled Wendy as Mabel walked to it.

She walked up to the vending machine, only to see that it was empty.

"I tried to tell you…but the vending machine's been busted for a few weeks now…old man Pines is too cheap to buy a new one."

"Oh yeah," said Mabel as she kicked the machine and sat down on the floor.

"Hey, are you sure you're okay? Does this have anything to do with that doctor you went to see two days ago? Mr. Pines told me and Soos about what you two are doing. Is this in anyway related to that?"

Mabel nodded her head, "It's not as easy as I thought it would be. I'm not used to going this long without at least a bit of sugar."

Wendy gave her friend a pat on the back, "Hey, trust me, I get it. I mean…not in the whole, can't eat sugar type way, but bad habits thing. They're not easy to give up. I mean, I used to bite my nails a lot. I found it helped me deal with stress. Plus, it gave me something to take my mind off all the…all the _trouble_, in my life then," she said as she tried not to get emotional.

Mabel leaned in and gave her friend a hug. She knew first hand what Wendy meant by that. It was one of the things the two of them tragically had in common.

"How'd you get over it?"

"It wasn't easy, dude. But one day, I looked at my nails, saw how damaged they were thanks to me biting on them, and after that, I never did it again. You can't force yourself to give up a bad habit…you gotta be ready to do it when you feel you are. It may not happen overnight, but once you feel like you _can_ give it up…then there's nothing that can stop you."

Mabel smiled, "Thanks Wendy. That means a lot."

Suddenly, Wendy got an idea. She rushed over to her purse and pulled out a shiny red apple, "And hey! It's not like sugar is poison…just like with most things it's about finding a balance remember?" she said tossing the apple to Mabel, who had to admit, the sweetness was much more satisfying than the bland, raw, veggies.

"The doctor did say I need balance," she said with a mouthful of apple.

"Well there you go! You already went straight up vegan before your surgery…finding a balance makes it easier to make long-term changes, and keep you from falling into bad habits again."

Mabel nodded, but admittedly felt a little extra sad knowing she could never go back to her sugar obsessed self ever again.

Wendy could read the sadness in her friend's eyes and thought of something that might help. She rushed outside and returned back with a small cup of coco.

Mabel looked confused and concerned…was Wendy trying to make her stumble?

Wendy laughed at her friend's face, "Don't worry dude…it's just plain ole hot coco…no whipped cream or nothing! Just sweet enough to satisfy your sweet tooth while being a totally acceptable treat!"

Mabel grinned as she sipped the coco. For the first time since she started this diet change, she felt like it wouldn't be an impossible task after all.


	6. Chapter 6: Relapse

It was the third night. Mabel lay awake in her bed. Many thoughts were racing through her mind, but through it all, the cravings were consuming her. She had promised Dipper before he left that she'd try her best to overcome her sugar addiction, but she had her concerns over it from day one. They were now slowly becoming apparent. Even after Wendy had shown her that she didn't need to give up cold turkey, and that there were alternatives, she couldn't help get that craving she felt deep down to leave.

Elsewhere, in his room on the first floor, Stan was having his own issues. Having been a smoker for so long had become a part of his life…and to now give it up had been hard. He was trying his best to do it for himself, for Dipper, for Ford…and especially for Mabel. He knew she was counting on him to succeed and pull through. But those craving wouldn't go away no matter what. He had been warned that they would be at their worst on day three, but he had brushed it off as just the doctor trying to make him buy into coming back for more advice.

Stan's thoughts raced past like a silent film on double speed. He thought back to all the times smoking had helped him get through a tough moment in his life. It was one of the first things he did after being kicked out of his home. They were always there during his decade on the run across the country. They had been his companion on the night he lost Ford again, and in the days, months, and years afterwards. And of course, they had been by his side the night Dipper and Mabel lost their parents, and through all the ensuing drama and emergencies afterwards too.

They had been by Stan in every bad situation…his way to, for a while at least, ease the pain of all his problems. Being reminded of it all was the final nail in the coffin. He couldn't take it anymore. Stan got out of bed and reached under it. He pulled out a box, in which there was a pack of cigarettes he had purposely forgotten to get rid of. He put on his coat and headed to the back door. He felt guilty as he thought about what he was about to do, but given Mabel was asleep, he figured she'd never find out.

Unbeknownst to him, at that very moment upstairs, Mabel too had hit her breaking point. The thoughts of how she had stress eaten through tons of candy to get through many difficult situations had become evident. They were there when she lost her parents, in the days, weeks and months after Brad had come into her life, and after the surgery which saved Dipper's. They had been there, through it all. In a way, it had become her equivalent to smoking. But she didn't care. She couldn't anymore. The pain they had helped her fight through was too much of a resistance now. She needed it again.

Mabel grabbed her jacket, and quietly tip toed into the kitchen, got on top of a stool, and pulled out from the top of the fridge a bag of leftover candy they had gotten from the holidays. She felt guilty doing it, knowing she knew she was breaking her own promise to Dipper. But given he was not home, and with Stan asleep, Mabel figured she could settle her cravings one more time without being caught, and start fresh in the morning.

* * *

Meanwhile, Stan walked outside, and sighed as he lit up a cigarette.

"Well, Stanley, you failed again," he said to himself. He sat down on the old couch and looked up at the stars. The cold weather gave him chills, but the warmth of the cigarette kept him calm.

Mabel too had come outside. She figured the noise of the wrappers being opened may wake Stan up. She opened the first of the many sweet treats, and put it in her mouth. The taste of sweetness was a welcome one to her after days of nothing but vegetables and other healthy alternatives to her former high sugar diet.

"What am I doing?" she said to herself as she unwrapped another candy to eat.

She felt like she had no control anymore. Her mind was telling her both to, and not to eat more. She felt like her title of being the fighter in her family had been lost. How could she be a fighter when she was losing to her own addiction?

Mabel could never have guessed then that Stan, who was on the other side of the shack, felt the same way. Between him and Ford, he'd been dubbed the strong one. The one who never backed down or accepted defeat, even when things looked hopeless. He felt he no longer deserved that title as he took another drag of his cigarette.

Mabel could feel the effects of her impending sugar rush take a hold, as she got up to walk around the shack. It was a feeling she had been missing and also longing to feel again. The silence of the forest helped her remain calm though. She tried to act like the cold didn't bother her much, but as she shivered, the peace and quiet of the night was interrupted by the sound of a heavy cough.

It took Mabel back by surprise. No one but her should be outside the shack as far as she knew. It sounded like it had come from the other side. Mabel was afraid to look, but curiosity had too much influence by now, and she started for the back of the shack. Soon her suspicions were answered.

"Grunkle Stan?!" she yelled.

Stan had just finished up his first cigarette and was preparing to light up another one when Mabel walked in on him. The sight of him holding the pack in his hands and the still smoking bud on the floor tore at Mabel's heart.

"Mabel?!" he replied, "Wha…what are you doing up?"

He then got a glimpse of the bag of candy in Mabel's hand.

"Mabel?"

Mabel realized what Stan was looking at and tried to hide it.

"No…it…it's not what you think?!" she said.

"Not what I think? It looks to me like you were out here eating candy when you're not supposed to be!"

Mabel tried to think up an excuse, but the hypocrisy of Stan's statement became apparent to her.

"Oh, look who's talking!" she fired back, "The man who can't go a damn hour without those cancer sticks?!"

"Hey, I've been doing this before you, your brother, heck, even your parents were born, so I've got more of an excuse than you do!"

"Well what does that matter to me anymore?! They're gone!"

Stan ignored Mabel's gestures to stop as he lit the second cigarette.

"Do you even realize what you're saying?" he said.

"Oh, don't I? Yeah, keep doing that, Grunkle Stan! Soon you'll join them!" yelled Mabel in a fit of rage. It took a her a mere second to realize what she'd said as she covered her mouth in shock at what she had let slip out.

"Why, I outta just…"

At that moment, Stan lost all control and struck Mabel across the cheek…_hard._ All this time he thought the cigarettes helped curve his violent tendencies, helped give him a more level-head, but in that moment, they did exactly the opposite.

He had struck Mabel…his daughter…his best friend in the whole world. If CPS were there now, she would be taken away from him in a heartbeat, because he _abused _her. The same way Stan's own father had abused him, and the same way he had promised he would never do to children of his own.

Mabel's eyes were filling with tears and Stan's heart filled with indescribable guilt. He wanted to find the words to say he was sorry, to say how much he loved her, to say that he would never lay a hand on her again, but words kept getting stuck in his throat.

Stan's attempted response was interrupted by the onslaught of a cough. But unlike the ones before, it went on and on.

"Grunkle Stan?" said Mabel as her anger and heartbreak turned to concern.

"Wa…wa…water!" begged Stan through the coughs as he dropped the cigarette on the ground.

Mabel didn't need to wait for him to say it before she rushed back into the shack.


	7. Chapter 7: Intervention

As Mabel ran into the kitchen, she had completely forgotten what had just transpired. The feeling of heartbreak she had right after Stan hit her had been replaced with a feeling of fear that she hadn't felt in a while. It was the kind of fear she only had when she felt truly in a state of panic. It was a fear that brought back all kinds of terrible memories. But she fought to keep them at bay as she threw open the cabinet doors, and picked up the first glass she spotted.

Her hands trembled in fear as she turned the tap on and watched the water pour into the glass. It took only seconds, but Mabel felt that she'd been waiting for a lifetime. She raced outside, careful not to spill the glass's contents (though some water did spill as she reached Stan).

Mabel quickly handed the glass to Stan, who still was coughing. She watched as he downed its contents faster than it had taken her to fill it up.

"Oh, man," he said, "That wasn't pleasant."

"Are…are you okay, Grunkle Stan?" asked Mabel.

"Yeah," said Stan as he coughed again. Suddenly he remembered once again what he had done to Mabel right before his coughing fit began, "Are you okay, pumpkin?"

"I…I'm fine," she said, while still holding her cheek.

Stan could tell she wasn't telling him the truth. He watched as she looked down at the cigarettes that had dropped. The one he had started smoking when his coughing fit began was still smoldering. The fowl scent of the smoke made her cover her nose. Stan too looked over at the bag of candy that Mabel had dropped to the floor as she ran to his aid.

"I'm so sorry, Mabel," said Stan as he tried to break the ice between them, "I didn't mean to hit you. I…I was just…"

Stan couldn't think up a reason. Even though his rage had been due to his smoking, it was no excuse for what he had done to Mabel. He tried to act calm about it, but truth was, Stan felt ashamed he put his adoptive daughter through that. She had only just begun to recover from the trauma of what Brad had done and of almost losing her brother, and now he'd subjected her to yet another traumatic event.

"It…it's okay" replied Mabel, "I…I'm sorry I said that stuff to you. I was just really mad."

"Yeah," he replied, "Me too."

Upon seeing her shivering, Stan decided the two should get inside quickly. He also knew that the two of them were not going to be getting to sleep anytime soon. The two walked back inside, where Stan decided to make some hot chocolate for both of them. He figured that by now, Mabel wouldn't protest against it given they both had pretty much broken their promises, and if anything, the warm beverage could help calm their nerves.

He gestured Mabel to sit with him at the kitchen table. She still looked hesitant, almost afraid to get near him. It hurt the old man a lot to see her like that. He wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to be near him again, but nothing on this earth could ever convince Mabel not to trust her Grunkle…her adoptive father, so she soon snuggled up to his side. Stan tried to change the subject by telling Mabel a light-hearted story.

"You know, when you and Dipper were little, your parents would always send me photos of you two so that I wouldn't feel left out. You know, back when they thought I was Ford, and back when everyone used film cameras."

Mabel smiled a bit at hearing that, "Really?"

"Yeah. One time they sent me these photos of your house after they set up the Christmas decorations, and I noticed that you couldn't see any stars in the night sky."

"Yeah, living in the city meant you never could see stars unless you were maybe in the park," said Mabel.

"Yeah. I always thought about how if one day you two came to visit, I could show you the wonders of the night sky uninterrupted. Though, I didn't think that would be a permanent affair."

"Neither did I."

Stan looked and noticed Mabel had put her hand off her cheek to hold and sip her hot drink, but that tears were flowing down them…Stan felt guilty again, it was often a kind of toss-up to tell stories from the kids childhoods, some days they would happily reminisce and smile and laugh and remember the happy times…but other days the fact that their parents were dead would weigh heavily on their young minds. Stan should have known a day like today would bring more of the latter feelings. He sat silently beside her rubbing her back before she spoke.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you quit smoking, I just wanted you to be healthier and happier. I know these past few years have been hard on you too, but I thought-" her voice caught for a moment.

"I thought that after you adopted Dipper and I that you were happier and that if you were happier you wouldn't need to smoke anymore, I try not to cause trouble cause I know you didn't have to do what you did for Dipper and I but I guess-" Mabel couldn't even finish.

Stan was stunned at her confession. truth be told, he thought she had just wanted him to quit because it was "after school TV special don't smoke PSA" that told her smoking was bad and everyone smoking would blow up and die or something stupid like that. He had no idea how self-aware and self-conscious she was about his happiness.

"Oh pumpkin, I am happy, I'm happier than I ever dreamed I could be…my smoking has nothing to do with you or Dipper or any of that…I've just depended on it for so long…" his voice trailed.

"And I'm sorry I couldn't help you cut down your sugar intake. I know how hard you're been trying to quit. I'm not used to being responsible for anything, much less kids. I mean, I know I looked after you squirts over the summer, but I never dreamed that I would have to actually be a parent. It's the best thing I've ever been, but I guess I still suck at it," Stan admitted.

Mabel looked at him shocked, "Grunkle Stan that's crazy! You and Grunkle Ford are the best adoptive dads Dipper and I could ever have! Just because I failed to kick my habit doesn't mean you failed me."

Stan gave a watery smile, "Remember to take your own advice when thinking of me and my smoking sweetie."

"I guess you and I are just slaves to our addictions at this point," said Mabel.

Stan found it rather strange to hear a phrase of defeat coming from someone like Mabel. It didn't feel right to him. His Mabel was a fighter…someone who never gave up. Though he felt he already had failed her, he didn't want his smoking habit be Mabel's first loss.

"Who says we have to be?"

Mabel looked up at him confused, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why do we have to give up now? Maybe we've been taking this on the wrong way. Maybe there's a simpler method to overcoming our bad habits."

Mabel pondered at the statement, "Like?"

"Well, we tried to quit by doing it immediately. What if instead we do it gradually."

"So, like, I slowly limit my sugar consumption rather than all together?"

"Yes," said Stan, "And I'll cut my smoking down day by day until I'm down to nothing."

"Yeah, I guess that could work. Wendy did tell me that I didn't need to quit all together, and that I had options. But I don't know, Grunkle Stan. I mean…I don't want you to be suffering through all of this again."

"Mabel…I'd suffer more knowing I made you give up on a goal of yours, than I'd ever be from smoking. You promised to help me quit, and I don't want to be the reason you break it."

Mabel teared up as she hugged him as tightly as possible.

"I'll never give up on you Grunkle Stan. You never did on me, even when things really weren't in our favour. I'll be there for you every step of the way, I promise."

Though Stan knew he had a lot of work ahead of him, the fact that Mabel still believed he could do it was all he needed to hear. It made him feel like the luckiest person alive. Even after what had just transpired, Mabel still believed he could do it. And as long as she did, he would not stop believing in her ability to curb her sugar addiction as well.

They both had been slaves to their bad habits for far too long. But with each other's help, and renewed confidence, they felt that they were finally ready to break free, and start anew.


	8. Chapter 8: Epilogue: A New Me

As the days went by, it seemed like Mabel and Stan had finally achieved what they both wanted. With Mabel by his side, Stan finally began to kick the habit he had held onto ever since he was alone and on the run. Going slow and steady rather than head on ended up working better, and faster too.

He did still have the experience of withdrawal, as warned by the doctor, but this time, with Mabel fully there for him, he managed to overcome it, and soon, he had gone a week without smoking. Stan could feel himself feeling a lot healthier too. He no longer felt as out of breath as he used to be, and his overall mood became much happier in the process.

As for Mabel, she had promised her brother that she would be able to cut down her sugar consumption by the time him and Ford got home…and she did. Like with Stan, she took it one step at a time now, rather than at once.

Eating healthier was not something she was too fond of still, but by going slow and steady, she managed it. By the time they had returned, Dipper and Ford were faced with a new Mabel and Stan.

* * *

A month on, and there was no doubt about it, Mabel and Stan had managed to kick their bad habits for good.

"I swear, I can tell why people are getting fatter these days," said Stan as him and Mabel retuned home from the grocery store one day, "These vegetable prices are ridiculous."

"But you gotta admit, they're worth it," said Mabel as she grabbed one of the bags out of the trunk.

"Yeah, I guess so. But they've gone up in price faster than cigarettes packs. I mean, back when I was your age, they cost about a dime. Now that's about how much I get in change when I pay with cash…if I'm lucky."

Both of them laughed about it for a bit, before Mabel changed the subject.

"I'm proud of you, Grunkle Stan," she said, "I always knew you could do it."

Stan smiled, "Well, I had the best support team anyone could imagine," he said as he playfully ruffled her hair.

"And don't forget about yourself, pumpkin. You got over your sugar addiction, and that's something worth celebrating too."

"Well, I also had the best support team imaginable," replied Mabel, "Do you think…mom and dad would be proud of me?"

"Of course, they would, sweetie," said Stan lovingly. He knew after their argument that night and her confession; Mabel had much bigger reasons to want to succeed, than just to improve his and her own own health.

"They'd be proud of you for not only fighting your own addiction, but for helping someone else get over their addiction too."

"Thanks, Grunkle Stan," said Mabel.

"Alright, now let's get inside. These bags are getting heavy!"

As Stan and Mabel walked in through the front door, the lights were all off. The moment Stan turned one of them on…

"Surprise!"

Dipper, Ford, Soos, and Wendy were all in the living room, which was covered in balloons and had a giant "Congratulations" sign hanging from the roof.

"What's all this for?" asked Mabel.

"It's for you two, dudes," said Soos as he gave Stan and Mabel a huge hug.

"It's been a month since you both got over your bad habits, so, we wanted to surprise you with a little party," said Dipper as he hugged his twin sister, "I'm so proud of you, Mabel. I always knew you could do it."

"Aww, thanks bro," said Mabel. At that moment, the pain in her side returned. It hurt her, but she didn't want to ruin the moment. Dipper wasn't much of a hugger, and she refused to lose the chance at his affection. But the pain did make her fill up with fear. Why hadn't it gone away yet?

"I must say, Stanley," said Ford, "I didn't think you could do it at first, when Dipper told me you were going to quit smoking. But when he told me Mabel was helping you, I knew you might just pull through."

Stan laughed, "Well, let's just say that I was Mabel's toughest assignment to date."

Everyone began to laugh

"Oh, hey, Mr. Pines," added Wendy as she handed Stan a box, "My dad and some of the other lumberjacks wanted you to have this."

Inside the box was a no smoking sign, hand crafted and painted by Manly Dan, and several other Gravity Falls lumberjacks.

"Lots of them are former smokers too, and they know how hard quitting can be. They wanted you to have this. They said it may help with the number of tourists smoking near the gift shop."

Stan smiled, "Thank you Wendy," he said, "Tell them it's going right there where everyone can see it."

* * *

The evening was full of fun and celebration, as all of them celebrated Stan and Mabel overcoming their addictions. For both of them, it was a feeling of accomplishment, and self assurance. They had managed to overcome life defining habits that were only causing more harm than good to them. After all that they had endured so far, their achievements had been, like their past ones, accomplished through one another.

When Stanley Pines had agreed to watch his great niece and nephew for one summer, he never imagined that in the end, they'd be here to stay as his adopted son and daughter, and in the process, they would change his life in such a powerful and positive way.

Later that night, Stan plopped down on his longue chair. As he sat there, a now former smoker surrounded by his loving family, he felt that he truly had achieved in life everything that he ever wanted.

"Hey, Grunkle Stan," Mabel's tiny voice came from the stairs, "you still up?"

"Yeah, pumpkin," he whispered, "But I think I'm gonna go to bed now, right here."

"Me too," she replied, subtly clutching her still sore side. She was alright, but sore and in need of some emotional comfort for the pain "Uh, by any chance…"

"Climb aboard." Stan said patting his lap. He didn't need to hear the end of Mabel's sentence to know what she wanted.

He lifted Mabel up and let her snuggle under the blanket with him. It filled him with a feeling of comfort and relief to know that Mabel still came to him when she wanted to feel safe. He had worried that she may never again do that after his physical outburst that horrible night, but any worries he still had over Mabel's forgiveness were now over as she snuggled up against him.

"Goodnight, Mabel," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"Goodnight, Grunkle Stan," she said as she allowed her sore body to relax against her adoptive father.

As Stan drifted off to sleep, he knew that thanks to his adoptive daughter's perseverance, both of them would for sure continue to hear each other's voices saying goodnight to them for many years to come.

But little did either of them know, the biggest fight of all still lay ahead. One that would put their strength as a family to the test once again.


End file.
